New 9/11 moment of silence to honor first responders, victims of WTC-related illness

The annual ceremony at the World Trade Center site marking the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history is adding a seventh moment of silence to honor first responders and others who have since died from 9-11-linked health issues.

In nearly a quarter-century of ceremonies at the site, the commemoration has included six moments of silence. They mark the times when hijackers hit each Twin Tower and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., when each tower fell, and when the hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in Pennsylvania.

The seventh moment of silence will come at the conclusion of the reading of the names of those killed in the attack.

During the ceremony, the first moment of silence is at 8:46 a.m. marking the first plane hitting the north tower. The last is at 10:28 a.m. when it fell.

Almost 3,000 people died in the attacks, including 500 from Long Island. Of the first responders, 343 FDNY firefighters and 23 NYPD officers died that day.

But in addition, the 9/11 Museum and Memorial said in a news release, "thousands of first responders, rescue, recovery and relief workers, and lower Manhattan community members have died from 9/11-related illnesses."

Former New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, chairman of the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, said in a statement: "The 9/11 attacks caused devastation that extended far beyond that single day. As we mark the 25th anniversary, adding this moment of silence ensures that we never forget every life lost on that day and in the years since."

John Feal, a longtime 9/11 advocate and founder of the Nesconset-based FealGood Foundation, estimated, in an interview, that 9,400 people have died of 9/11-linked illnesses since the attack.

"I’m thankful because now these men and women in uniform and non-uniform are going to be seen and heard and they’ll be part of every ceremony moving forward, way after we’re gone," said Feal, a demolition supervisor who suffered severe injuries at the site.

Some 142,000 people are enrolled in the WTC Health Program, which assists people suffering from 9/11-related illnesses.

There are 94,326 New Yorkers who have been enrolled into the WTC program as of March 31, 2024. Of that number, 56,166 are first responders. Of the total members, 6,897 are deceased.